​CCTV footage of LAPD gunning down homeless man released

A new video recording the fatal shooting of a homeless man by LAPD officers on Skid Row has been released. The shooting was the result of a struggle over one of the officer’s guns, police say.

This is the second video
documenting Sunday’s deadly confrontation. It was released by the
Union Rescue Mission emergency homeless shelter and was shot by a
security camera about 75 feet (23 meters) from the
incident.

The footage shows
several police officers scuffling with a couple of figures. After
two officers drag one person away, the others wrestle the second
struggling figure to the ground.

Police say they were responding to a robbery report. They said on
Twitter they attempted to subdue the man, known only by his
street name of Africa, with a Taser but it was ineffective as the
victim continued to resist. They also said the man attempted to
reach for an officer’s handgun during the altercation. Africa was
declared dead shortly after being taken to a local hospital.

The man had allegedly recently been released after spending 10
years in a psychiatric facility.

One witness described the shooting: “There was [sic] enough
officers around, they could have contained this man. Mentally
ill, or not. If they can’t contain one person, then there’s
something wrong with them. Brute, unnecessary force is what
happened.”

Civil rights activists have called for a hearing on the use of
lethal force around Skid Row, following recent reports of
escalating violence between law enforcement and local residents.